A recent study exploring the intersectional experiences of university students with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) suggests that racialized students are less likely to receive support than their white peers.

According to the report, racialized students seek treatment less frequently and tend to receive fewer stimulant prescriptions and academic accommodations.

“When I saw this finding, I was a bit baffled,” said University of Windsor alumna Sanya Sagar (PhD 2022), who led the study while working toward her doctorate in clinical neuropsychology. “So I dug into the literature, hoping to find a reason. The literature indicates that clinicians and doctors may have inherent biases that can hinder students from receiving treatment.”

The study, titled “Equal Access? Comparing Accommodation and Treatment Experiences of Racialized University Students with Attention Problems and Their White Peers,” co-authored by UWindsor professors Carlin Miller and John Freer and Toronto Metropolitan University professor Tisha Ornstein, investigated the experiences of 318 undergraduate students of different ethnicities with varying levels of attention problems.

The participants were recruited from the psychology research pools at the University of Windsor and Toronto Metropolitan University. The sample included students with significant attention problems who may not have been diagnosed with ADHD or received treatment.

An article outlining the study has been published in the inaugural issue of the Journal of Critical Race, Indigeneity, and Decolonization (JCRID), a new peer-reviewed online journal formed by UWindsor’s Office of the Vice-President, People, Equity, and Inclusion.

The publication aims to create an academic space where “the realities of institutional, cultural, and interpersonal forms of oppression are explored and articulated,” covering relevant topics in critical race, Indigeneity, and decolonial analysis across various disciplines.

Dr. Sagar noted that much psychological research is conducted through a Westernized lens, with little focus on the experiences of racialized people.

“Mental health, neurodevelopmental conditions, and cognitive conditions are not specific to any group; they are universal experiences. There’s not enough research exploring how racialized folks navigate these systems,” she said.

Sagar was inspired to pursue this research by her own experience as an Indian-Canadian woman who struggled with anxiety, particularly while in university.

“I have first-hand experience seeking academic accommodations at a Canadian university. It was one of the most challenging parts of my education, and all I wanted was to be able to learn,” Sagar explained.

“There were countless hoops to jump through to receive the accommodations I needed, and I would not be surprised if most students did not know they were even available. Now that I am out of school, I am more determined than ever to ensure that students, especially racialized students, receive the supports they need.”

The study also includes recommendations to address the gap in access to support, such as inclusive outreach strategies for racialized students and policy changes to help develop specific services.

“I thought we could start with accessibility centres and give them the training to understand how ADHD and other conditions can present differently across racialized systems and offer education about implicit bias. Some literature shows that informing people about their biases can be the first step toward changing how they act,” Sagar said.

Sagar’s full article highlighting her research is available online in the first issue of the JCRID.

Other articles include “There’s No Word in My Language for Reconciliation: Challenging the Settler Appropriation of the Discourse of Reconciliation,” “Exploring the Concept of ‘Decolonized Teaching’ in Higher Education: Experiences from a Canadian University Case Study,” “A Genealogical Exploration of Cultural Capital Theory: Recognizing Refugees’ Cultural Wealth,” and a book review of Disruptive Learning Narrative Framework: Analyzing Race, Power and Privilege in Post-Secondary International Service Learning.